Proper size of endotracheal tube for cleft lip and palate patients and intubation outcomes

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to identify the proper size of endotracheal tube for intubation of cleft lip and palate patients and intubation outcomes in these patients.

Patients and methods: In this analytic cross-sectional study, 60 nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate patients were selected who had surgery between April 2010 and April 2012 at Pediatrics Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Demographic findings, previous admissions, and surgical history were registered. The proper tube size was measured by normal children formulas. Then tube size was confirmed by patients' minimum resistance to intubation, proper ventilation reported by anesthesiologist, and appropriate air leakage at an airway pressure of 15-20 cm H₂O. If intubation was unsuccessful then smaller size of endotracheal tube would be tried. Frequency of intubation trials and the biggest endotracheal tube size were recorded.

Results: Their average age, weight and height were 21.39 ± 4.95 months, 9.97 ± 1.18 kg and 74.30 ± 26.61 cm, respectively. The average tracheal tube size and frequency of intubation trials were 4.34 ± 0.78 and 1.63 ± 0.80, respectively. Seven cases required an endotracheal tube size smaller than the recommended size for that age including one case in unilateral cleft palate, three cases in unilateral cleft lip, one case in unilateral cleft lip and palate, and two cases in bilateral cleft lip and palate.

Conclusions: Findings proved that considering subglottic stenosis incidence in these children, it is reasonable to determine the tube size for nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate patients by applying the currently available standards for normal children.